Titanium

Question 1

When was the music video released?

Answer 1

December 21st 2011

Question 2

Who wrote the lyrics for and sung Titanium?

Answer 2

Australian singer-songwriter Sia who has co-written songs with celebrities such as Beyonce and Rihanna

Question 3

Who produced the music for Titanium?

Answer 3

French DJ and producer David Guetta

Question 4

Who was the song originally written for before it was “given” to Guetta?

Answer 4

American singer Alicia Keys

Question 5

How is Sia the USP (unique selling point) for the song?

Answer 5

Because she is known to be a reclusive yet eccentric character (was retired at the time to focus on song-writing, used to wear giant wigs and masks to hide her identity), audiences are intrigued by her unique voice and excited to see her next move

Question 6

How many views does the video have on Youtube?

Answer 6

1.8 billion (nearly 2 billion); commercially successful

Question 7

What is the name of the David Guetta album the song was featured on?

Answer 7

Nothing But the Beat

Question 8

How does the beginning of the video hook the audience?

Answer 8

Begins with a narrative enigma, the audience starts watching with an unanswered question (what happened?) which keeps them interested and watching

Question 9

How is slo-mo used within the video?

Answer 9

The video is slowed down for dramatic effect, to increase the time of each scene

Question 10

How is a sped-up effect used within the video?

Answer 10

When the boy is riding his bike back home, the scene is sped-up which increases the intensity of the scene and links to the boy’s supernatural powers which could allow him to move at a superhuman speed

Question 11

What filming technique is used for the video?

Answer 11

Cinematic filming

Question 12

How is the boy represented within the music video?

Answer 12

As both the main protagonist and antagonist, the audience feels sympathetic towards him but the other characters dislike him

As a stereotypical outcast, a victim of bullying/misunderstood adults, vulnerable when he is kicked to the ground by police and hugging himself into a ball, different/strange due to his supernatural powers

Both as a threat and as a victim

As being from a lower-class background due to his desaturated, dull, messy house

Question 13

How is the teacher represented?

Answer 13

As a stereotypically feminine damsel-in-distress, weak, fearful, shouting “Help me! on the phone at school, needs the male authorities to help/save her

Question 14

How are the police officers represented?

Answer 14

As stereotypical masculine heroes, coming to “save the day” and protect the female teacher, brave, powerful, dominant, aggressive

Question 15

Why was the song removed from U.S. radio stations in 2012?

Answer 15

Due to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

The song contains themes of shooting and guns while the music video depicts an explosion/violent incident in a school, which may be seen as inappropriate/insensitive to listen to/watch during the real-life tragedy

Question 16

What is the effect of the low angle shot used when the boy is kicked down by police at the end of the video?

Answer 16

Represents him as weak and inferior compared to the police officers

Question 17

How is the boy’s determination to resist against the police/metaphorical bullies represented?

Answer 17

Through a close up shot of his climbing boots, backpack and supplies which connotes how he is prepared to run away and be free

Question 18

“I’m bulletproof / Nothing to lose / Fire away / Fire away”

What does this lyric connote?

Answer 18

Connotes strength and self confidence, “bullets” are a metaphor for bullying and hurtful words

Question 19

“I am titanium”

What does this lyric connote?

Answer 19

Connotes invincibility and resistance in response to bullies

Question 20

What musical genre is Titanium?

Answer 20

House/urban/pop/dance/techno

Question 21

What binary oppositions are present within the music video?

Answer 21

Natural vs supernatural

Kids vs adults

Question 22

How do we know the video is set in 1980s America?

Answer 22

Use of desaturated colour scheme (browns, beiges and yellows), natural lighting, specific dress codes and hairstyles establish the setting at early 1980s suburban America

Verisimilitude; record player and old TV at the boy’s house, corded landline phone at the school

Question 23

How are the jogging women represented?

Answer 23

Wearing stereotypical 80s fitness wear

Stereotypically represented as overweight Americans which could be a commentary on American overindulgence

Question 24

How is the boy’s isolation and lack of support represented?

Answer 24

A long shot of the dark empty forest as he runs away

His house being messy, like how a kid would be, which suggests he lives alone and has no parents

No friends throughout the video, he is the only kid at the school

Opening shot of him cowering in the school corridor, alone and vulnerable

Question 25

How does this music video subvert from mainstream collective identity?

Answer 25

A narrative video which lacks performance/lip-syncing from Sia and therefore goes against the mainstream in order to be unique and individual

Question 26

What themes are represented within the video?

Answer 26

Metaphorical bullying, Being different/outcasted, self-confidence and harnessing ones inner strength against adversity

Question 27

Who directed the music video?

Answer 27

David Wilson who previously worked with Arctic Monkeys and Tame Impala

Question 28

Neither Sia nor Guetta are present in the music video, why is this?

Answer 28

Deliberate omission of both artists from the video means it can focus more on symbolism, communicating message and cinematic narrative structure

Question 29

What intertextual references are present in this video?

Answer 29

References to Spielberg films and his settings; the video is set in Spielbergian, suburban, white picket fence and freshly mowed lawn late 70s-early 80s America (the juxtaposition between a seemingly “perfect” town and the supernatural, strange, abnormal occurrences within in are a common theme in Spielberg films)

Reference to the supernatural/alien/UFO media boom in popularity during the 80s

Superargo 1968 film poster next to the TV in the boy’s house, tthis is a metaphor for the boy’s own situation and in the film the protagonist Superargo battles “faceless giants” who could represent the boy’s own bullies

American actor Ryan Lee, who plays the boy in the video, also starred in Spielberg’s 2011 film Super 8 that released 6 months before Titanium.

Super 8 is set in a similar time period to the video (1979) and is about empowering young people/teenagers, which Titanium took inspiration from

Question 30

Where was the video filmed?

Answer 30

Quebec, Canada

Question 31

How is CGI used within the video?

Answer 31

At the end to create the explosion/blast from the boy’s supernatural powers

Question 32

What 8 key areas of media language should we analyse when looking at music videos?

Answer 32

Camera shots/angles/movement

Editing (cuts, transitions)

Sound (diegetic, non-diegetic)

Narrative structure

Representations (CAGEDS)

Themes

Messages

Values

Question 33

What is the name of the actor who plays the main protagonist?

Answer 33

Ryan Lee